Observational studyBMJ open2018
What fluids are given during air ambulance treatment of patients with trauma in the UK, and what might this mean for the future? Results from the RESCUER observational cohort study.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed.
- Resuscitation with blood products in patients with trauma-related haemorrhagic shock receiving prehospital care (RePHILL): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.The Lancet. Haematology · 2022Trial
- Mapping the internationally reported evidence on physician-staffed helicopter transport in Japan: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Prehospital measurement and treatment of ionised hypocalcaemia by UK helicopter emergency medical services in trauma patients: a survey of current practice.Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine · 2025Article
- [Prehospital blood transfusion : Opportunities and challenges for the German emergency medical services].Die Anaesthesiologie · 2024Review
- Effect of Pre-Hospital Intravenous Fluids on Initial Metabolic Acid-Base Status in Trauma Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Metabolites · 2023Article
- Implementation of a low-titre whole blood transfusion program in a civilian helicopter emergency medical service.Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine · 2022Observational
- Pre-hospital blood products and calcium replacement protocols in UK critical care services: A survey of current practice.Resuscitation plus · 2022Article
- Multicentre observational study on practice of prehospital management of hypotensive trauma patients: the SPITFIRE study protocol.BMJ open · 2022Article
- Pre-hospital transfusion of red blood cells. Part 1: A scoping review of current practice and transfusion triggers.Transfusion medicine (Oxford, England) · 2020Article
- Mortality of civilian patients with suspected traumatic haemorrhage receiving pre-hospital transfusion of packed red blood cells compared to pre-hospital crystalloid.Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine · 2018Observational
- Prehospital emergency medicine - UK military experience.BJA education · 2018Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesWe investigated how often intravenous fluids have been delivered during physician-led prehospital treatment of patients with hypotensive trauma in the UK and which fluids were given. These data were used to estimate the potential national requirement for prehospital blood products (PHBP) if evidence from ongoing trials were to report clinical superiority.
settingThe Regional Exploration of Standard Care during Evacuation Resuscitation (RESCUER) retrospective observational study was a collaboration between 11 UK air ambulance services. Each was invited to provide up to 5 years of data and total number of taskings during the same period.
participantsPatients with hypotensive trauma (systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg or absent radial pulse) attended by a doctor. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the number of patients with hypotensive trauma given prehospital fluids. Secondary outcomes were types and volumes of fluids. These data were combined with published data to estimate potential national eligibility for PHBP.
resultsOf 29 037 taskings, 729 (2.5%) were for patients with hypotensive trauma attended by a physician. Half were aged 21-50 years; 73.4% were male. A total of 537 out of 729 (73.7%) were given fluids. Five hundred and ten patients were given a single type of fluid; 27 received >1 type. The most common fluid was 0.9% saline, given to 486/537 (90.5%) of patients who received fluids, at a median volume of 750 (IQR 300-1500) mL. Three per cent of patients received PHBP. Estimated projections for patients eligible for PHBP at these 11 services and in the whole UK were 313 and 794 patients per year, respectively.
conclusionsOne in 40 air ambulance taskings were manned by physicians to retrievepatients with hypotensive trauma. The most common fluid delivered was 0.9% saline. If evidence justifies universal provision of PHBP, approximately 800 patients/year would be eligible in the UK, based on our data combined with others published. Prospective investigations are required to confirm or adjust these estimations.
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